Ranking Every Bela Lugosi / Boris Karloff Universal Movie Collab
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- Опубликовано: 1 июл 2024
- Welcome back to Universally Me where we dive into the history of Universal Studios, and the people, place, and movies who made it what it is today. I'm Antonia Carlotta, and my Uncle Carl Laemmle started Universal Studios. He and his son Junior produced many of the monster movies we all know and love, and they're responsible for launching the careers of two Hollywood horror icons: Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff.
These two legends because stars in their own right. Bela Lugosi first, as the magnetic vampire, Dracula, and then Boris Karloff as the horrifying yet misunderstood monster, Frankenstein. Universal was excited to capitalize on the popularity of their two spooky stars, and paired them up for 6 movies together: The Black Cat, The Gift of Gab, The Raven, The Invisible Ray, Son of Frankenstein, and Black Friday.
Today, I'm ranking all six on three metrics: Chemistry, Creeps, and Caliber. See how they stack up ... and then tell me how you'd rank them!
The Black Cat: • The Black Cat: Univers...
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Antonia Carlotta
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The Black Cat is my favorite 1930s horror film. Boris & Bela were PERFECT together. Bela really got to shine in The Raven. And Bela stole Son of Frankenstein from everybody. THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS. Really enjoy your channel, a lot. P.S. Bingo on calling out Stanley Ridges in Black Friday. It was HIS picture, truly 🤓.
It has to be “The Black Cat,” for me, as I think it is far and away the most unusual and unforgettable of all the films they are in together, plus it is one of my top favorite films of all time. There really isn’t anything else like it. It’s also the darkest of all the Universal horrors of the era, by far.
I think we'll be in the majority feeling that way, but I'm excited to see!
I agree with your ratings all the way. On Son of Frankenstein--unlike the other four Universal horror movies, this was not only a Boris-Bela show. Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill were also striking, plus the best top to bottom supporting cast of any of these films.
I completely agree with the rankings on this list. The Black Cat is a great movie, beautifully shot, stunning sets, and an epic struggle between Lugosi and Karloff at the height of their powers. The best individual performance in any of the movies has to be Lugosi as Igor, funny and menacing at the same time.
The Black Cat and The Raven were the best with both of them. Bela Lugosi stole the show in both films easily. The Invisible Ray was excellent too. Karloff dominated with Lugosi in a good supporting role.
Excellent video! I'd rank these films the same, actually. I can't get enough of The Black Cat and watch it several times per year. I love it!
If Carl was your uncle, wouldn't he be like, your great, great uncle🤔??? After all, Dracula was almost, a hundred years ago. Lugosi and Karloff were at their zeniths, when they were together👍!!!
For style: The Black Cat
For performances: The Raven
For production: Son of Frankenstein
I honestly had skipped The Raven for many years but when I finally saw it I was blown away. Thanks for doing this video. I can't argue with the results.
I like this breakdown!
I love The Black Cat and Son of Frankenstein, and my favorite just depends on my mood. The Black Cat has that wonderfully evil Karloff performance and the horrifying ending, while Son of Frankenstein is a lot of fun and has maybe Lugosi's best performance. Great list!
I totally relate to my favorite changing with my mood. Whether ranking the Universal Monsters, Bela/Boris movies, or any other movies for that matter - there's always the possibility of some shifting.
Great breakdown! A good reminder that I haven't watched Black Friday yet.
Son of Franky is maybe my favorite Lugosi performance, but the chemistry and creep factor in The Black Cat can not be matched!
Love your content and your enthusiasm for these old treasures. 10/10 fricheks
Bela Lugosi was great as Ygor. The Black Cat still remains the best. The first teaming of Karloff and Lugosi.
The Black Cat will always be my personal favourite. They were both at their prime and the art deco sets are so well done. Love the three C’s idea too 😂❤
LOVE art deco!
It’s amazing how dark The Black Cat could get despite the restrictions for its age…
Right?!
I loved everything they were in together really like the raven or the black cat out of those two the masters of horror
The first time I saw a full-length picture of Karloff and Lugosi together, I was surprised to see that Bela was taller. The Frankenstein costume was so effective that it made me automatically think of Boris as the tallest guy in any room.
First --"The Black Cat." Second --"The Raven" - my favourites starring Karloff and Lugosi.
The Raven was so close to being my second choice. If you catch me on the right day, it probably will be!
@@AntoniaCarlotta - In "The Black Cat," Karloff was the epitome of pure evil. Lugosi's character had elements of good and bad -- revenge is never "good." The sets in that film had hints of German expressionism. Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Dr. Vollin in "The Raven" was spot-on. Vollin is intensely mad, scheming, self-centered, and vengeful -- the perfect screen villain! Though Karloff's Bateman was a vicious criminal, I felt some pity for him as the film went on. "The Raven" also had one of my favourite lines of film dialog -- "Remember Bateman, should anything happen to me, you shall remain an ugly monster." Take care, Antonia Carlotta. -- W
I 100% agree with your ranking. Your #’s 1-5, I’m a huge fan of. Number 6, I’ve never even heard of.
For both of them on equal footing you can't beat 'The Black Cat'.
The Black Cat (1934).
The Invisible Ray (1936).
Black Friday (1940).
Son of Frankenstein (1939).
The Raven (1935).
Gift of Gab (1934).
Wow, our rankings are VERY different! What do you like so much about The Invisible Ray and Black Friday?
@@AntoniaCarlotta I've always had a soft for The Invisible Ray, found it chilling yet intriguing at the same time, it's a great combination of horror & sci-fi.
As for Black Friday, admittedly some of it's nostalgia due to it being the first film I saw Lugosi in. While It remains one of my favorite Karloff performances. To quote the The New York Times "Karloff is in exquisite artistic form".
Black cat is definitely number 1. I gotta watch son of Frankenstein tho. Raven is definitely fun and twisted! Great list 🎉❤😅 bat 🦇
I agree with your rankings although I would put "The Raven" at #1 and "The Black Cat" at #3. I thought "Raven" had a faster pace and I liked that Boris had the part of the gangster with a soft heart.
Fantastic video! 🖤
Great video! My list is only slightly different from yours but, honestly, the order could change for me depending on the day. But today, the only order I'd change is swapping The Raven and Son of Frankenstein.
I think most of this list will stay the same for me, but Son of Frankenstein and The Raven will definitely do a lot of bouncing back and forth. That was a really tough decision for me.
Hey Antonia, I have a suggestion for a video you could do. I know you just mostly focus on the Universal movies and actors that were involved with them but there's a recent comic adaptation of Dracula that actually featuresBela Lugosi as Bram Stoker's version of Dracula. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.
Love your channel, Antonia! Your videos are super interesting ❤
Thank you so much!
My list is the same though 2 things
1. The more prominent Bela is in these movies, the better these movies are. That's says a lot about Bela and speaks poorly of Hollywood big shots for not featuring him more.
2. The Invisible Ray is a much better movie than what's being given credit for here. Karloff is fine, tends to overreact while Bela plays an understated benevolent doctor perfectly.
Enjoyed!
Great video, Antonia. I would flip The Raven and Son of Frankenstein, but otherwise, I agree with your rankings. And for #1, I agree, it's not even close. They were amazing together.
You have no idea how close I was to that exact order.
@@AntoniaCarlotta For me, the tipping point is the little kid from Son. He's so annoying. Bela and Boris are great in it.
Okay, this one's hard, but here we go....
The Black Cat (1934): The ONLY film where Boris and Bela were pretty much equal in terms of character, screen presence, and script. The best of them all. Don't watch this one for the plot - there really isn't one. Call it a day in the life and enjoy the atmosphere.
The Raven (1935): Placing this one was kinda difficult - I went back and forth between this and Son of Frankenstein for 2nd place. There's no real character development (unless you count Karloff's Bateman finally making a stand against Lugosi's Vollin), but no one was better at being undiluted evil-bad than Bela. And watching Boris here is just amazing. As only Karloff can do, you really have sympathy for Bateman by the end of the film. I still love it.
Son of Frankenstein (1939): Probably the only film where Bela actually upstaged Boris. By this time, Karloff recognized the limitations of the Monster character, but the relationship between the Monster and Ygor was truly magical. Definitely the last great moment for the Monster as the character would become little more than a prop after this.
The Invisible Ray (1936): A rare undisputed good guy role for Bela, but ultimately he's overshadowed by Karloff. Universal didn't do science fiction well in the classic days, and this one gets mired in what the fleek too quickly. Driving the film, really, is the relationship betwen Karloff's Janos Rukh and his mother (Violet Kemble-Cooper). It's good, but not the highest caliber, in my opinion.
Black Friday (1940): Hmm. Yeah, well, Boris and Bela don't share a scene, Bela's role can be easily dispensed with, and the best performance comes from an actor no one came to see. That said, on its own terms, it's still fun. I hope Bela at least had fun playing an out-and-out gangster.
You'll Find Out (1940): More a parody of horror films than anything else, but have to admit Boris and Bela work well together. It's a silly film with very little point, and Kay Kyser isn't exactly a fave, but once I finally got to see the film, it's actually a lot of fun. And it has one of my favorite lines from Peter Lorre: "Why do I have to waste my time outwitting morons?" Why indeed?
Gift of Gab (1934): Not so much a partnership so much as a couple of unrelated cameos, Boris and Bela also don't share any scenes in this film, and they're pretty much forgotten after their brief appearance. Definitely, the worst on the list.
And, of course, the non-Universal The Body Snatcher (1945). Bela has just one scene with Boris, but it's a powerful one. Lugosi rarely had a chance to really act in these films, but this was one, and even though Director Robert Wise said getting that performance was a struggle because of Lugosi's health ... and other issues ... it was well worth it. Perhaps Bela's last great moment in a straightfoward horror film.
Great list, and great reasons! I almost included The Body Snatcher and You'll Find Out, but decided to keep just to their Universal Team-Ups.
but i hoped you might include the RKO efforts!! i gotta know if the KING KONG props keep YOU’LL FIND OUT out of the dead last bottom spot haha
I'd mostly agree, except that I'd flip The Raven and Son of Frankenstein. There's a bit more meat to The Raven, whereas Son of Frankenstein marks the descent into 1940's b-movie fare... Which IS fun, of course, but also feels slighter than the original 1920's and 30's run of the Monsters. Plus Son of Frankenstein doesn't give Karloff much to do, which is a shame. It doesn't build on the direction Whale took the first two films in. Also, I like that you found a pretty obscure movie I hadn't even heard of before! I think I'll pass on Gift of Gab though 😆
Black Cat for me is too dark for me. Can’t watch it again. My top two are Son of Frankenstein and Invisible ray. Son of Frankenstein is just fun and Basil Rathbone is so over the top. I just love it. Invisible ray is flawed but it’s so creepy without being gruesome. It’s watchable over and over again. I love Bela Lugosi’s Goid Guy performance. And each time I root for Boris to overcome his demons and be a good guy. But then I guess there would not be much appeal. I think the final confrontation between Bela and Boris just leave a lot to be desired. It could have been an epic fight. Oh well. Great video. TY
I do believe Invisible Ray is a movie that could grow on me over time. Next time I watch, I'll keep everything you said in mind!
Wonderful video Antonia!!
I like "The Black Cat" movie!!
Hope you come out with another wonderful video for Halloween! 🎃 💀
Thanks. If time is on my side, I should have a few videos out by Halloween. Just coming up with the right topics! Any suggestions?
Topics: How Universal classic horror movies have impacted or influenced Halloween.
The scariest Universal classic horror movie that plays alot during Halloween.
The most popular Universal classic horror movie that is shown alot during Halloween.
Why are Universal classic horror monsters so popular during Halloween or anytime in the year? How was it influenced?
Did the creators of these Universal classic horror movies have Halloween in mind while making these movies?
During Halloween are Universal classic horror movies popular? Or is it the current contemporary gore/horror movies?
The Black Cat would be my top pick. They are both at the top of their acting powers, and the film's Expressionist style is pure Universal. It's a top-tier Universal film.
I put Son of Frankenstein at #2. It's arguably the best-produced Universal of all, and Lugosi's Ygor rivals his Dracula for acting chops. Karloff has far too little to do, however.
I think Black Friday is underrated, and it's my #3. Karloff is earnest as a mad scientist, and Lugosi stretches a bit in a solid gangster performance.
Raven and Invisible Ray are 4 and 5. The Raven is a miss, and Invisible Ray is a mess - though both pictures obviously have their moments.
I've not seen Gift of Gab. Perhaps I never will.
What do you dislike so much about The Raven?
@@AntoniaCarlotta I think Lugosi goes a little too far over the top as the film progresses. Edward Ulmer, director of The Black Cat, noted that managing the Hungarian's performance was always a challenge; perhaps Louis Friedlander did not feel the need to exercise such restraint. Also, Karloff's makeup is not Jack Pierce's finest hour, and, pro that he was, I don't think the Great Man was able to rise above it. I will give kudos to Lugosi's work early in the film; he is credible as a romantic rival to the younger Lester Matthews - and, overall, I like the film more now than I did ten years ago. Never the less, it's not something I would recommend to any but the Universal completists.
Then again, I'm the guy who prefers Sam Raimi's 'A Simple Plan' to his Evil Dead and Spider-Man movies, so what do I know?
Thank you for all the great work, miss.
@@AntoniaCarlotta in your honor, I re-watched it last night after Svengoolie. It certainly has its entertaining moments, and I had forgotten about the unique "moving room" effect during the denouement, which is a nice touch. I would not rate it above 'Black Friday', though, which I still think is underrated.
A bit unrelated but have you seen the film The Last Voyage of the Demeter? It’s a new Dracula movie that I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts about.
I see this is a Sophie’s choice kind of question, really tough to decide. 😊
But the chess game stands out for me.
#1. The Raven
#2. The Black Cat
#3. Son of Frankenstein
#4. Invisible Ray
#5. Black Friday
Wow, the Raven even beats out The Black Cat for you! What do you love so much about it?
@@AntoniaCarlotta I like the fact that the story for the Raven is very simple. The movie may not follow the poem, but the movie still "tips it's hat" to the poem enough to justify calling the movie The Raven. All around I love the acting. The basement is cool. I love The Black Cat too but like The Raven a small amount more
Hi there is a scean in the movie where the doctor uses a video phone or actually a video doorbell .
I think the Black Cat is the best American horror movie of all time. Compare it to the rest of the old dark house genre: it turns everything around. The house is bright and new. The leads are playing against type (almost always, Lugosi is a villain and Karloff is a victim). The good guy represents a genteel past. The bad guy represents the bright, clean, brand new modern world of mechanized warfare---it predicts WWII! All the gothic horror tropes are reversed. Wonderful! (btw there's a short where they reprise the famous chess match---sorry, it's Columbia! ruclips.net/video/h0UY7irdFgw/видео.htmlsi=o5J9L3bjadP0XYHJ)
On freevee. As of 6/2/24